Kangaxx as an SCSII spellcasting demi-lich is giving me PTSD

lollers

No clue what to do about this thing. Even my sorcerer with the spell trigger full of spell immuities isn't completely protected from Kangaxxs wish debuff, or the comet that his final form brings down. I think Kangaxx is too smart to waste any spells on my completely protected sorcerer, so waiting him out isn't really an option, and I only have a limited amount of protection from the dark planetar who will eventually wait out my protection from magical weapons and is very safe behind the liches powerful attack spells. There are a hundred versions of the infamous kangaxx fight on youtube, but I can't find the one I'm looking for. I'm going to have to come back later when I get my own time stops and planetar, aren't I?

VanDerBerg

Wait until you get Time Stop, then use Time Stop and Imprisonment on Dark Planetar?

Not that I would know. You have something that has 90% physical damage resistance, is immune to almost all the spells and casts imprisonment (which offers no saving throw, is uninterruptable and bypasses MR) at will. Then you give it capabilities to cast high level magic at you? That's machosim for me. Hence, no Spellcasting Demi-Liches for me. Way above my capabilities.

Maurvir

Yes, the difficulty is almost a step function compared to the previous two guardian liches. (The one in the Crooked Crane isn't technically related to the other two) However, this whole battle is entirely optional, and liches are SUPPOSED to be tough SoBs.

Also, SCS obliterates all of the previous conventional wisdom regarding Kangaxx. You can no longer safely keep the rest of the party near the exit, for instance. While you may be able to keep Kangaxx himself on the platform, his summons are not so limited, and WILL go after the rest of your party. Make sure you keep a few warriors in reserve to handle that dark planetar, for instance.

Honestly, I regret enabling this on my game, and I gave up and used PfU. It felt like a weak ending, but I got tired of reloading. My next install will change this.

I will say that Sirene did a number on him with Carsomyr +5 along with Isra's Daystar sunburst. Unfortunately, not enough to keep the party from getting toasted.

jmerry

Another approach ... I've been building parties lately for passive anti-mage defense. My latest run ... well, they were all fire-immune, so spells like Comet and Dragon Breath could be ignored. Saves were good enough to ignore most of the nasty stuff, and they entered under Mass Invisibility with spell deflection/turning effects up. Mage/thief and bard set traps to deal with the lich form. Dragon disciple and bard focused on removing combat protections like PF Fire and PF Magical Weapons. Druids and sun soul monk beat down (Fire elemental form for the druids).
Easy success on the first try - mages just aren't much of a threat when you can passively ignore most of their spells. And when it's a constant cycle of tearing down and recasting protections, they just don't have time to cast many offensive spells. Sure, the planetar is dangerous - so you switch focus and kill it ASAP.

Incidentally, spellcasting demiliches don't use Trap the Soul at all. They might have a normal Imprisonment memorized to use on your party, but that's it.

Mera

My favorite and "easy-win" tactic against him with SCS as always been to use the slayer.
When he transforms, move the rest of the party as far back as possible, then activate slayer and watch your PC tear the skull a new one.
Just don't go grab a cup of coffee, you need to transform back at the end or else you die

Djasko_Amsterdam

I think it may be better to bring in a party of arcane casters, preferably 1 fighter/mage, to have all the protections available to survive here. Dunno if youre running a custom party, or regular npc's, or mixed, but if its not inconvenient you can change your party setup for the encounter.

lollers

I finally killed the bitch. My sorcerer used a lot of fire protection and spell immunity and spell turning. Summoned a planetar. Improved hasted Keldorn with his true seeing and carsomyr. I ruby ray'd, Imoen breached, keldorn and planetar smashed. He went demilich and stopped time and did a lot of shit. Our planetar killed his before the summon could be complete. My sorcerer saw kangaxes final form and decided to show him the slayer. Me, Keldorn and planetar smashed while imoen and our cleric mage constantly used secret words and warding whips and ruby rays and breaches. This ridiculous bitch had at least 6 layers of protection and killed half of the group.

I feel absolutely entitled to take that ring now.

ThacoBell

Did somebody say, "Smash!"?